Looks like I'm moving to Boise in the next few months. I had the chance to do a little hiking on my last trip there, but I'm looking for some advise on where to ride.  Thanks.

You are moving to a fantastic place to live and ride. I know form experience - I live in Boise. Great trail system that goes across the Boise front. With lots of fire roads in the area. You can spend an entire day riding around above town.  I'll post a link from Ridge to Rivers, that will show some of the area. Sun Valley is about two hours away - great riding there. Stanley - same as Sun Valley. McCall...you're moving to a great area to go mountain biking. 

http://www.ridgetorivers.org/

Looks like a fantastic trip. The McCall area is a great choice for riding. Thanks for sharing the video...makes me want to drive up there and ride next weekend!

There are at least 2, but to my knowledge neither is doing an ITT. Just touring it!

Gen Shimizu is one. I think he's currently in Helena (going south) so I doubt he's the one you saw.



Here is his blog: http://www.greatdivideride.com/journal

A few days ago while he was nursing a sprained ankle near the border, Gen mentioned this guy, who passed him, so he's probably the one you saw:

Thanks Denis. I think it was the rider on the bottom.  And thanks for the link to his blog.  I'll follow his posts for the rest of his tour.

this question may have already been asked....but is there someone doing an ITT on a unicycle? I was up on Fleecer on Thursday and as I was descending on the road back toward I-15 I saw a guy cruising up on a unicycle. Unfortunately we passed each other pretty quickly so I didn't take a picture. He looked like he was geared up for something longer than a day ride. He may have also thought I was nuts as I was occasionally yelling choooooo hooooo! I had seen a bear on my way up and wanted to let it know I was coming back.

Sure fire away with where you'd like to go. I know the Idaho City forest service roads better...and have wanted to do a connecting ride over there for a while.  Depending on what you want to do and where you want to go....there is doable Boise to Idaho City ride that can be extended further out. I think it'd be cool to make an Idaho route that's forest service roads mixed with trails if possible.

Ketchum and Stanley it's the single track that I know better.

Hell ya Missoula!
It dosen't surprise me. Adam's one of the toughest guys around. Pretty much the only person in town he can't drop in the mountains is Sam Schultz.
He's also been out on this section in the last 6 weeks. So, he knows the climbs well.
Get that soak in! I was down at Elkhorn on Sunday (in between trail digging fests on Richmond Peak). One of my favorite spots in MT.

who are the Missoula riders? I have to root for them having grown up in Missoula

Casey
You can't lose with the riding around Ketchum and Stanley (excellent singletrack near both of those towns). The Idaho City area has some of my favorite forest service roads in Idaho. That whole map you posted all contains great stuff. Enjoy your trip down here.

Sounds like a fun trip. My Montana travel plans are still a bit fluid...it would be fun to ride some of the route with someone.  Whitefish does have some great riding as well. I've got friends and family spread out across the state. When it gets closer to your go time we'll have to see if it would work out or not. If not have fun out there and be safe!

Any one know who is on a single speed?  Other than Dave Nice.

I believe Melissa Liebling is on a single speed. Probably several more as well

I will be starting the divide at that time but probably by the 2nd or 3rd of July out of Banff.   I am planning and a nice journey of up to 12 weeks therefore you most likely will pass my way.  You can call me Melly and my email is Melanie@bikerider.com.  I may appreciate the company
but plan on stops to meet friends I know along the way and find mtn trails to ride in awesome places.  I will probably see you but will only pace with you a day or two for I need to meet a friend in Whitefish. 
Feel free to contact me if you would like to ride with someone for a couple of days.  I will have a Bob Trailer and a Hunter frame 29er.  be sure to say hello.
Mellyd

I won't be riding the entire route this summer but will likely be riding parts of the route in Montana in early/mid July. Not sure where you have your stops planned but....if you do stop in Helena there is some great single track riding there...and the stuff I'm thinking of is in Grizzly Gulch right along the route.  Helena to Butte and Butte and beyond are two of the parts I'm considering it would be cool to ride it with some company.

sounds awesome. i love that area down there. the earliest i could get down there would be memorial day weekend. wouldn't mind spend a few days or a week just riding along having fun.  it would all depend on a couple of things that are going on, depending on which way they go.

jim - are you planning on going?

if you want to understand bears, here's your book:
http://www.amazon.com/Bear-Attacks-Causes-Avoidance-revised/dp/158574557X

Don't sleep with your food, and make lots of noise when riding through areas with low visibility.

Great recommendation on an excellent book. Like others have said you have much greater chance of startling a bear while riding. The only time I've ever seen a mountain lion was a chance encounter. Really cool to see one since they generally are solitary animals. I was cresting a climb in the Rattlesnake area in Missoula when it happened. Initially I thought it was a deer standing across the trail as I saw the tannish brown body. When I got a good look, I saw the tail and the lion's head looking down the trail in my direction. It was a good seventy five yards away. For a moment I was wishing I had my camera with me, even with it's less than great zoom it would've been nice to snap a quick picture. Instead the mountain lion walked off and I decided to turn around to warn a couple of people I had passed on the trail. 

Last summer a friend and I spooked a moose near Butte. We were off adventuring on a Forest Service road off of Homestake Pass. We had been intentionally making a lot of noise as there were some blind corners and we were traveling fast.  We heard a racket off in the trees and saw a big Moose running up the side of the hill away from us.

General advice - make noise while you are out there. Read the book Toby recommended. Don't sleep with your food near you. Hang it on a tree a good distance away to be safe. Odds are low a bear is going to see you in your bivy sack and think yum human burrito! Have fun out there!

unfortunately due to an ill timed mechanical problem with my car i will not be traveling to montana this week. a disappointing evening that doesn't leave me or my family up there happy.  perhaps in the future i'll get to ride with some of you that live there.  til then have good rides and a happy holiday.

anyone? traveling through. thinking about connecting butler creek over to snow bowl or maybe something else.  not sure if this belongs over here....not sure where else to post it.

thanks for posting the pictures. anyone consider making a 2011 photo album somewhere online? it'd be cool to see them all together. 

Took an early distance ride today and came back by Tetonia in time to find the SB ladies leader Caroline Soong. She was riding with Itt'er Rob Culliver. Both were making a b-line for food. CS was all business doing some brake work and repacking last nights sleeping gear before heading in for some breakfast. Rob was looking like he needed some coffee but wearing well.

There were 6-7 bikes outside the cafe in Tetonia. (That cafe is loving the TD. Everyone is ready to eat when they hit Tetonia and it's the only place besides a gas station) A bunch of riders camped in and around the Drummond area last night. Spoke with Derek Bently (who was enjoying himself) and saw Nathan Jones earlier headed for the bike shop in Driggs. They all have some nice winds to play with today.

A couple more pics added:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalmasher/

add me to the list thanking you for the photos you've shared. really cool to see the people who are out there. keep it up!

hey everybody...Erik Lobeck here trying to gauge interest in putting together a "tour Divide" in the fall (late august thru early september.) which I am enjoying calling Divided We Fall. Exact date would still be TBD,  but it would depart from Banff and follow what was to be this years version of the divide route (before snow detours). This includes Gold Dust. It would be fun to get a group of 10 or so riders together. Basically just trying to see how much interest there may be in a venture of this sort. The idea would be a course by and large free of snow, and entering New Mexico as the monsoon wanes. The disadvantage? More darkness. Jay Petervary is intent on an ITT and a rugged individualist, but perhaps he could lead the charge? John Nobile? ANy other vets? Newbies?

Erik

if you get a solid start date i'd likely be able to go for a few days. already burned or will soon be burning vacation time...but will possibly have a few days and would love to see the start of the route. toward the start of july i plan on riding a couple of chunks of the route in montana.

I will chime in - following my brother, Norb DeKerchove,  from Boise, ID.  He has accomplished so much - numerous Ironman competitions and now this!  Am very proud of him - the local newspaper ran a story about him and taking on the Tour Divide.  He has so many supporters both locally and across the US. 

cool! i'm from boise. had no idea anyone from here was racing the divide this year. i'll be following him all the way!

Hope no racers run into this guy

http://missoulian.com/news/local/article_bbf0e0d6-9538-11e0-8dfb-001cc4c03286.html

"He was last seen wearing a bluish colored shirt and a fanny pack, and is believed to be armed with a handgun and possibly a rifle."

Gotta watch out for people with fanny packs!

Cadet is heading to Missoula?

I just noticed that he was there...anyone know why?